A-Rod will begin minor league rehab assignment tomorrow

Alex Rodriguez will begin a minor league rehab assignment with Low-A Charleston tomorrow, the Yankees announced. He is scheduled to play a minimum of three innings. It’s supposed to rain in Tampa basically all week, which is why he’s being sent out of town.

Because he missed Spring Training, I have to think they’ll use the entire 20-day rehab window. That puts A-Rod on schedule to return just after the All-Star break, assuming no setbacks. That’s not the safest of assumptions, as we’ve learned this year. Still, great news. Even a diminished Alex is the team’s best right-handed hitter by a mile.

I can’t wait to see A-Rod psych himself out before his first at-bat, slip on some rosin, split his pants, and fall face first into the clay as thousands of Derek Jeter’s fingernails come pouring out of his pockets…

Chris in Durham

Is that really a Mercury Program / Gus Grissom reference? :)

http://www.penuel-law.com/ Cuso

You forgot “backing out of the box nodding and pursing his lips every time he takes a meatball strike that he should have swung at, while simultaneously letting the umpire know that he agrees that it was a strike.”

Jim Is Bored

Thank God. I still think David Adams can be a productive ML player, if only as a backup, but he has no business being out there every day right now.

Get well soon, Alex.

Cool Lester Smooth

WOOOOOOO!

Andy in Sunny Daytona

Only 3 innings, DBJ needs his reps.

Gonzo

Ok, I laughed.

RetroRob

Gee, I guess all the tabloid reporters were wrong yet again. Fiction writers, and bad ones at that.

Gonzo

He’s not out of the woods yet.

Preston

I’m pretty excited about this. What is a fair expectation for him ROTS, .270/.320/.420? Over/Under

Robinson Tilapia

Fair expectation would be “better than Adams…..unless he gets suspended three days in.”

RetroRob

He still might provide more production in three days than Adams has over the past month. Low bar to clear.

I say this only half seriously, which of course means I also say this half…

Manny’s BanWagon

I never thought Adams would be the 2nd coming of Mike Schmidt but I never thought he would have been this god awful.

.239 wOBA, 43 wRC+, -0.1 WAR.

RetroRob

I still believe in Adams. His track record is quite strong throughout the minors and his scouting reports all suggest he can hit in the majors. He hasn’t adjusted yet and is pressing. Most Yankee teams could absorb that. Not this one. They need production, some production, any production!

Manny’s BanWagon

I think Adams may have some value down the road as a back up infielder too.

Jim Is Bored

“Most Yankee teams could absorb that. Not this one.”

Bingo.

trr

Adams is small potatoes. What ever happens to him, happens to him. 26 years old and still flailing helplessly at MLB curveballs and off speed stuff.
If A-rod isn’t a major upgrade over Adams, well, then our season really is over.

Robinson Tilapia

So he’s NOT unleashing some sort of insurance fraud/Ponzi/free Aaron Hernandez kind of plan, because that’s what Wally Matthews told me.

Have we placed the appropriate physical restraints on Selig as well? Jim?

Jim Is Bored

There are no physical restraints that can hold back the Might of Selig.

Robinson Tilapia

Fuck.

Pat D

See my comment below.

jjyank

He did only mention “physical” though. Maybe some kind of energy. Like blood magic or something.

Also on another note, is anyone else experiencing comments sometimes disappearing after refreshing the page?

jjyank

It’s happened to me a couple of times. One would disappear off and then reappear a few minutes later upon refresh.

I’m One

Yes. To both comments.

Gonzo

I think that’s what was happening to me when I thought posts were deleted.

bill

Can someone please explain the 20 day rehab window?

Robinson Tilapia

Strong glass. Meets Miami hurricane standards, which is the standard for all home windows nowadays. A bit costly, but well worth it if you’re looking for top-notch protection for your home.

Oh…

Need Pitching & Hitting (but mostly hitting)

With the written consent of the player and the prior approval of the Commissioner or the Commissioner’s designee, the contract of a Major League player on a Disabled List may be assigned to a Minor League Club for the purpose of injury rehabilitation for a maximum period of 20 days in the case of non-pitchers and 30 days in the case of pitchers.

Basically, a position player can have up to a max 20-day minor league rehab assignment, unless there is a re-injury.

Gonzo

AKA, the Franklin Gutierrez rule.

JCK

Thank you. I was also wondering what determined 20 vs. 30. I guess I never noticed that pitchers always get 30 and position players get 20.

HateMclouth (formerly I’mVernon)

Good news, god knows we need him.

Robinson Tilapia

Dude, another screen name with a quick expiration date.

Why not pick something timeless and classic, something like “Pat D.”

Get Phelps Up

Hey now, my handle came from an April 2012 meme!

jjyank

You certainly are resilient.

HateMclouth (formerly I’mVernon)

In all honesty I (stupidly) didn’t expect Vern to fall off a cliff like he did. But don’t worry, my hate for Nate is eternal. I think.

Robinson Tilapia

Can he be had on a one-year deal next season?

OMGZ.

MannyGeee

THIS. Same feelings we had for Johnny Damon in 2003.

HateMclouth (formerly I’mVernon)

I’d signup for that based solely on the fact that he wouldn’t be able to play us any more. That, or he goes to the NL.

Although I think the internet explodes if the Yanks sign anymore “aging” veterans.

HateMclouth (formerly I’mVernon)

Meh, I just checked, he’s actually not that old. Maybe it will happen.

Robinson Tilapia

I had no idea what his contract situation was when I made the joke, but he is a FA at the end of the season.

I bet that, based on this year alone, he gets more than a year from someone.

Pat D

Say what? What’s going on?

NeilT

So, the previews are over and we’re about to get the pre-credits sequence. Got my popcorn, pity it doesn’t come with Cameron Diaz.

MannyGeee

#BringbackKateHudson

W.B. Mason Williams

Problem is, even if Cano and A-Rod go back to back as the 3-4 hitters, they could walk both of them to open an inning and still be reasonably confident that we won’t score, unless Gardner somehow sneaks in there.

What are the odds of these two guys getting walked (or pitched around) back to back often enough that it would effect the outcome of a season? There is a significantly higher chance of these two going back to back homers than them both getting pitched around on any given day.

phil

That is where they have to add a bat at first base: Kendry Morales or Mike Morse. then they get Granderson back at the end of july…

phil

Just in time for the red sox series after the all star break…Cervilli as well!

Yankee Since 1957

Not sure I want him back. What if A-Rod comes back and Selig suspends him in August? And we maybe miss out on a 3rd baseman like Young? Sorry, I am hoping he can’t play and retires. I don’t like counting on a guy that lies and cheats every time gets a chance.

Jay

I don’t think A-Rod’s potential return would prevent them from trying to get someone like Young. Alex is gonna have to DH a lot anyway and could get hurt again like Tex and Youk. Young could also play 1B vs. lefties

Yankee Since 1957

Good point and you are correct. I guess I just don’t want A-Rod back.

Cool Lester Smooth

Honestly, as long as he isn’t Aaron Hernandez, I don’t give a damn about him as a person. I just want a 4th MLB caliber hitter in the lineup.

Yankee Since 1957

Right, he is not AH. He is just an illegal drug user.

Manny’s BanWagon

and just an all around lying asshole and disgrace to the Yankees uniform.

I’d prefer he never wear pinstripes again either but I highly doubt that’s a realistic option so if he’s gonna play, I’ll root for him to play well.

Cool Lester Smooth

Beggars can’t be choosers, and the Yanks are nothing if not beggars when it comes to offense right now.

Robinson Tilapia

We’re paying him. I want him to play well because we’re paying him.

If he wants to take his ball and go home, he can do that as well.

I’m long past this “I’ve followed him since we were both teens in Miami” stuff I usually say on here.

WhittakerWalt

” He is just an illegal drug user.”

“…and just an all around lying asshole and disgrace to the Yankees uniform.”

Man, those are some harsh words you guys have for Andy Pettitte.

Cool Lester Smooth

My point exactly.

LK

I would say they have 4 MLB-caliber hitters right now – Cano, Gardner, Hafner, and Overbay. Overbay’s 90 wRC+ is “MLB-caliber”, it’s just not “starting 1B for a team with designs on a winning record” caliber.

Cool Lester Smooth

Haha, fair enough.

trr

With all the appeals and legal manuvering, I don’t think that will be an issue until 2014

forensic

This is awesome. Still trying to decide whether to go to one or two games during the Padres series and this helps the decision a little bit.

mustang (The Has Been & Wannabes Bunch 2013)

Good way to start the month now lets see if they can a fucking win tonight boys.